Ricky Ponting reveals why Punjab Kings let go of major overseas names ahead of IPL 2026 auction

Punjab Kings (PBKS) head coach Ricky Ponting discussed the logic behind his decision to part ways with several prominent players ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 auction. The franchise has let go of Glenn Maxwell, Aaron Hardie and Josh Inglis in preparation for the December 16 auction. Participating in JioStar’s ‘Retention Show’, Ponting gave detailed information about overseas player exits, stating that the team aims to create more overseas slots for the upcoming auction. He acknowledged Maxwell’s value but stated that the team did not think he would be fit for next year’s IPL starting squad.

Aaron Hardie, who did not play in any matches last season, was also released for tactical reasons.

“The biggest name we will release this year is Glenn Maxwell. I have worked with Glenn for a long time. I love him and what he brings to the game. Unfortunately we didn’t get the best out of him last year and looking forward we didn’t think he would be in our starting team, so we decided to release him. Aaron Hardie is another versatile foreign player we will release. He didn’t get a chance to play for us last year. It’s difficult to let go of such players but we need to open up overseas slots. Unfortunately Aaron Hardie has been released for the auction,” Ponting said.

Additionally, Josh Inglis, one of the notable names of Punjab Kings, was also removed from the squad. The wicketkeeper-batsman has put in a solid performance in IPL 2025, amassing 278 runs in 11 matches at an impressive strike rate of 162.57. Inglis has proven to be a reliable player in the 2025 season, where the franchise finished second.

Ponting also touched upon Inglis’ departure, explaining that the decision was influenced by the player’s limited availability in the 2026 IPL season.

“Josh Inglis is one of them. He batted brilliantly for us in the second half of the tournament. He missed a few matches due to different reasons and was also aware that he would not be able to play for most of the tournament this year,” said the former Australia captain.

Responding to these changes, former Indian cricketer Anil Kumble stated that Punjab Kings have retained a strong and versatile squad after the players’ release, boosted by the confidence gained from last season’s runners-up finish.

“Punjab Kings have covered all the bases. They were finalists last season, so that confidence has led them to retain most of their players. Their Indian players did exceptionally well last season and they hope to continue doing so. It’s always good to have fast bowlers as backup, so that’s one area they could look at. They should also have identified a few talented uncapped Indians to consider. Having released three overseas players, they will be looking to fill an overseas void. They may look for a wicketkeeper-batsman for that. Fill Josh Inglis’ position.” said Kumble.

PBKS players retained: Shreyas Iyer (c), Nehal Wadhera, Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran Singh, Shashank Singh, Pyla Avinash, Harnoor Pannu, Musheer Khan, Vishnu Vinod, Marcus Stoinis, Azmatullah Omarzai, Suryansh Shedge, Mitchell Owen, Arshdeep Singh, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Yash Thakur, Xavier Bartlett, Lockie Ferguson, Yuzvendra Chahal, Harpreet Brar

PBKS Tender Budget: 11.50 crore INR.

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